Brain‑training game cuts dementia risk and beta‑amyloid in older men

A computer‑based speed‑training game that targets information‑processing ability was shown to lower the risk of dementia by 25 % in men aged 65 and older. In a study of 53 American participants, 13 of whom were men, four‑and‑a‑half months of weekly training reduced the amount of beta‑amyloid—a protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease—in the male brains, while no comparable change was observed in women. The findings, presented by Clemson University neuroscientist Hye Won Chaï at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London on 12 July 2026, constitute the first demonstration that mental training can directly affect beta‑amyloid levels.

The participants spent two to four hours per week on the speed‑training tasks, which required rapid identification of briefly displayed objects. Previous long‑term research by Chaï’s team indicated a 25 % lower incidence of Alzheimer’s or other dementias among older adults who engaged in similar training, supporting the notion that such cognitive exercises can promote brain health.